Traffic signal



SEN-'5, 19.32 w. F. BRETTscHNL-:IDER 1,875,556

TRAFFIC S IGNAL Filed Aug. 10, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l gmx/nto@ Wil wanZ'Trechne der @gud W l (Uhn/rug Sept 6, 1932 w. F. BRETTSCHNEIDER1,875,556.

TRAFFI G SIGNAL Filed Aug. l0, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 invention, an armmounted on the side of an y.

Patented Sept. 6, 1932 Unico STATES WILLIAM r. BRETTscHNErDEajoEsT.Palin, nrmanuscrital i TRAFFIC sreNAL Application filed August 10,v1931. .Serial No. 556,042.

'universally used arm signalv of a driver contemplating a left turn, andfor this reason a signal mounted to project from the side of the car atapproximately the height of the drivers arm has been found to be themost suitable.

An object of the present invention is to make an improved and simplifiedleft turn signal. f

In order to attain this object, there is pro-l vided, in accordance Withone feature of the automobile to swing in a vertical plane and operablefrom the interior of the car. A pair of vanes are pivotally connectedtothe outer end of this arm and are operatively connected to the armoperating mechanism to be fold- 3@ ed into allnement with the arm Whenthe arm is in an inoperative position and to Vbe spread out at an acuteangle to said arm when the arm is moved to an operative position.

These and other features of the invention will be more fully brought outin the folvlowing description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal, transverse, sectional view of a signalembodying the present invention, the signal being shown in operativeposition.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the signal shown in Figure 1, acar body element being shown in section to disclose the method ofmounting thesignal.

Figure 3 is a view similar to that in Figure 2 showing the signal ininoperative position.

Figure l is an enlarged view in perspective of a slidable operatingmember.

of an operating handle.

Figure 6 1s a View similar 'to Figure 2 show- Figure 5 is an enlargedview in perspective ing a modified construction.

Figure 7 is a View similar to Figure '1 of the modifiedk structurelshown in Figure 6.V

F igure'S is a' view similar to Figure 3 of the modified constructionshown in Figures 6 and 7 '1 Figure 9 is an enlarged view in perspectivei of a slide member employed in the shown in Figures 6,7, and 8. l

Referring to the drawings-in det-ail, and considering-first 'thestructure shown 'in the first three figures of the draWings,-a bracket Aisforme'dwofsheet metal having a base portion 1 With openings for screws2 thereinfor attaching the device to an automobile frame structuremember 3, Aand a perpendicularly disposed portion 4 for supporting thesignalmecha- The signal mechanism' comprises a metal strap 'member 5rpivotally secured as at 6 yto the portion 4 of the bracket A. To theouter end of thisstrap member are pivotally'connected two operatingvanemembers 7 and '8. From each of these' vanes links 9 and 10 are pivotallyconnected to a pivot member 11 which is offset horizontally from thepivot6 which supports .the main strap member 5. The link 9'has anangularly offset portion 12 to the end of which is pivotally connected aslide member 13.` This slidemember .13 is liwhichrides on apin 15 xedlysecured 'to the bracket A. yAn upsetportion 16 of the slide .member 13isprovided With an opening 17 therein in Which the end of an operatinglever 18 is positioned. The shank of the operating lever 18 extendsthrough the body member 3 of the car into lthe interior thereof and anoperating handle 19 is fixedly secured to the inner end thereof. i Aspring 20is Vconnected to' a pin 21 secured to the link 9, the other endof the spring2() being connected to a pin 22 mounted on the bracket A.

It Will be 'noted from'the'Figures 2 and 3 that 'when the signal is inan operative position thespring tends tohold the signal in saidoperative position, and, in moving to an inprovided with an elongatedslotted opening loo operative position the spring passes beyond andmeans connecting said slidable member dead center with respect to thepivot pin ll to said pivoted arm to operate said signal on Whichsupports the link 9, and, When the siga slidable movement of saidslidable member. nal is in inoperative position, as illustrated in Intestimony whereof I affix my signature. 5 Figure 3, the spring 2O tendsto hold the sig- WILLIAM F. BRETTSCIINEIDER. 7@

nal in inoperative position.

A modied form of signal is shown in Figures 6 to 9', inclusive. In thisstructure the bracket A, the arm 5, operating handle 18, K and springare similar to those illustrated 75 in the rst ive'igures of thedrawings. In this construction, however, the main strap member 5 ismounted on a pivot 25 near the outer edge of the bracket and is providedwith Y y an angularly offset inner portion 26 to Which 80 the slide 13is pivotally connected. v A slidable sleeve 27 is mounted on the mainstrap member 5^ and alink 28isconnected from this sleeve to a pivot 29near the inner edge of I 20 the bracket, A pair of vanes 30 and 3l are ev 85 pivotallyv connected to the outer end of the main strap member 5and a pair of links .32 and E53-connect these vanes to thel slide 27. Inthe operative position shown in Figure 6.-, the y slide 2712s drawninwardly on the strap: mem- 90 ber 5 to diverge Ythe varies and; whenmoved to the inoperative position shown in Figure 8, the slide 27 ismoved outwardly on the strap member 5 to draw the vaners inwardly Ytoward they strap member 5. Y 95 The device comprisesk a simple,positive acting, and inexpensive turn .signal Which maybe readilyinstalled on any motor vehicle. l f e AI claim: y e Y 100 l. Anautomobile turn signal, comprising. incombination; a supporting bracket@signal t member pivotally supported thereon, a pair of vanes pivotallyconnected to the outer end of said signal member, link means connected l1 105 to said Vanvesl and pivotally connected tosaid bracket, and anoperating member slidably mounted on said bracket and pivotallyconnected to said link means to operate said signal. 110

2. An automobile turn signal, comprising i a bracket adapted to bemounted on the side of an automobile, an operating member slid- 50 ablymountedl thereon, an operatingwhandle f pivotally mounted in saidbracket,- having connection With said slidable operating lnember tomo-vesaid slidable member on an operation of said handlfe` a pivotallymounted sig- K Y 55 nal arm mounted in said bracket tobe piv- 120 otallymovable inV a transverse vertical plane Y With respect to a car' uponwhich the device is mounted, a pair of vanes mounted adjacent the outerend of said arm', link means having G0 eccentric pivotal connection withrespect to 125 the pivotal mounting of said Varm to diverge said vanes.on the moving of said arm to a horizontal position and to draw saidvanes into substantial parallelism with said arm Y .55 when said arm ismoved to a vertical position, i K 130

